Tool-locking device



2 Sheets-s 2 a IIII |w-ll|li Sept 10, 1957 A. L. AMEND TOOL-LOCKINGDEVICE FiledDec; 22, 1954 wwix M M, M// f United States PatentTOOL-LOCKING DEVICE Arthur L. Amend, Oakford, near Langliorne, Pa.

Application December 22, 1954, Serial No. 47 7 ,097

2 Claims. (Cl. 279-77) The present invention relates to tool-lockingdevices of the character which may be employed to lock punches, dies andother tool elements in tool retainers such as retaining blocks.

A purpose of the invention is to obtain a positive locking by engagementof the end of a rocker in abutting relation with a tapered side surfaceof the tool.

A further purpose is to manipulate the rocker by screw means preferablyacting on the rocker between its pivot and the tool. 7

A further purpose is to use a flat tapered surface on the side of thetool abutting the end of the rocker to prevent withdrawal of the tooland also to prevent rotation.

A further purpose is to retract the rocker by an opposed screw acting onthe side of the rocker which is on the side of the pivot remote from thetool.

A further purpose is to taper the rocker where it engages the screwmeans in both operating positions so as to provide a convenientcomponent to shift the rocker.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claims.

In the drawings I have chosen to select two only of the numerousembodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the forms shownfrom the standpoint of convenience in illustration, satisfactoryoperation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure l is an inverted fragmentary vertical section through the toolretainer, tool and locking device of the invention, as taken on the line1'-1 of Figure 5.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary transverse section on the line 2--2 of Figure1.

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, but whereas Figure 1 shows thelocking device retracted, Figure 3 shows the locking device intool-locking position.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a reduced-scale plan view of the tool of the invention.

Figure 6 is a reduced-scale side elevation of a modified form of tooluseful in the invention.

Described in illustration but not in limitation and referring to thedrawings.

Difiiculty has been encountered in metal-forming operations includingpunching, through the delay incident to replacing an individual tool orremoving it for inspection.

In some tool setups the entire retaining block must be taken off and thetool must be removed after the retaining block has been detached. Whereefforts have been made in the past to permit detachment of an individualtool, difiiculty has at some times been caused by the fact that the toolis not positively held but is loose in the tool-retaining socket.

The present invention provides a very simple and inexpensive mechanismto lock a tool in place, whether it be a punch or a die. In particular,the mechanism of the invention permits removing any individual toolwithout removing the retainer, while at the same time it pro- 2,805,865Patented Sept. 10, 1957 vides adequate locking of the tool both againstaxial withdrawal and, where desired, against turning.

In accordance with the invention, the locking element is a rocker andone end of the rocker is brought into abutting relation with the taperedside surface of the tool. This result is accomplished by locking therocker about its pivots desirably under the action of a screw. Therocker is retracted to release the tool, preferably by a counterscrew.

Where the tapered surface on the side of the tool is intended to locatethe tool circumferentially as well as to hold it axially, the surface isdesirably a fiat surface but otherwise it may be a conical surface.

Considering now the drawings in detail, a tool-retaining block of anywell-known character is supported on a die plate 21 of a suitableforming press, punch press or the like, as for example by guiding means22, suitably guide pins. The tool retainer has a tool-receiving socket23 which receives the shank 24 of a tool 25, which in the illustrationmay suitably be a punch, but can equally well be a die or other tool.

At one side the shank has a tapered surface 26 which in the form ofFigures 1 to 4 inclusive is suitably a flat surface, but in a tool 25'of Figure 6 is a tapered surface 26. Unless location of the tool incircumferential position is important the tapered or flat surface mayequally well be used, but where orientation of the tool circumferentially is desired it is preferred to use the flat surface rather than aconical surface. I

In either case the wedge surface or tapered surface tapers from aposition 27 toward the rear which is relatively far from the axis to aposition 28 toward the front which is relatively closer to the axis,desirably forming a notch at the forward end. Aside from the taperedsurface, the tool desirably fits firmly into the socket, and therearward end 30 engages the die plate when the tool is locked in place.Alongside the socket 23 and communicating with it the tool retainer hasa recess 31, the back of the recess being defined by a saddle plate 32,the back of which bears against the die plate 21, and the recess 31suitably extends from the socket 23 at one end to a wall 33 at theopposite end. The plate 32 carries a forwardly directed cylindricalpivot head or saddle 34, the pivot axis of which is spaced from, andlies transverse to, the axis of the tool. The pivot head or saddle 34pivots a rocker 35 by engaging a pivot socket 36 extending across therocker 35 intermediate its ends.

The rocker has at that end adjoining the tool a locking surface 37 whichin the, retracted position of Figure 1 extends alongside the socket 23and parallels its axis, but in the locking position of Figure 3 abutsfirmly against the tapered surface 26 and locks the tool.

The rocker is manipulated to the locked position and held in the lockingposition by an-adjusting screw 38 which is threaded at 40 into theretainer and which, at its inner end, contacts between the rocking axisand the tool. The screw desirably extends in a direction parallel to thetool axis as shown, and on its inner end desirably has a hemisphere 41which engages a sloping surface 42 on the rocker, so that there will bea slight wedge action by the screw on the rocker in both retracted andlocking position.

A surface 43, opposite to the surface 42, is desirably relieved so thatthere will be adequate clearance in locking position.

The rocker is permitted to release when the screw 38 is backed oif. Thereleasing action is accomplished conveniently by inserting a driftthrough hole 44 which extends desirably parallel with the tool axis andis located on that side of the rocker pivot remote from the tool. Moreconveniently, however, as shown in the drawings,

the hole 44 is threaded and receives a screw 45 which is desirablyprovided with a hemispherical forward end 46 which engagesa surface 47on the rocker which desirably slopes slightly whether the rocker 'isdisposed in either locking or retracted position so that the forceexerted by thescrew will always have a wedge component. The oppositeside 48 of the rocker'is relieved so that it will not jam against thewall in either position. Likewise that end 50 of the rocker remote fromthe locking end is relieved to provide clearance.

It'will be evident that the angle-of the taper on the tool will varywidely from a fraction of a degree -to theaxis to a muchgreater anglewhich maybe of the'ord er of 45 degrees to the axis of the tool in somecases.

When the device is nctg'being used, the rocker will normally be in theposition of Figure l as when the tool is removed from the retainingblock. In order to lock the tool in position, it is first inserted inthe socke t 23, and the; tapered surface 26 is placed on the sideabutting the loc king'rocker if a'fiat surface is used; If a conicalsurface 26' isused it is 'not necessary to turn the tool.

The screw 45 is then backed off and the screw 38 is advanced until therocker reaches locking position as shown in Figure 3 with the lockingend abutting firmly against the tapered surface '26 or 26'. The screw 45can then be tightened if desired or-itIcan beleftretracted as shown inFigure 3.

In view of my disclosure variations and modifications to meet individualwhim or particular need will doubtless become evident "to others'skilledin the art, so that they may desire to obtainall or part of the benefitsof my invention Without copying the structure shown, and I, therefore,claim all such modifications that have a similar function and that fallwithin the scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

1. Tue socketed tool retainer for locking a tool that has a shank whichdefines a tool axis, the shank having a side-locking surface whichtapers with respect to the toolaxis, diverging from the axis near thebase of the shank and being closer to the axis at a forward position ofthe shank, the locking surface being straight as viewed in projectionfrom the side, a tool retainer having a socket on an axis in line withthe axis of the shank and adapted to receive the shank, a saddle platesecured in a recess in the tool retainer and having a pivot headdefining a pivot axis transverse to the axis of the shank, the pivothead of the saddle being disposed in the direction toward the front ofthe tool retainer remote from the base of the shank when the shank isseated in the tool retainer, a locking element having a socketintermediate its ends engaging the pivot head of the saddle'and rockablethereon, the locking element having its major dimension extendinggenerally transverse to the axis of the shank, the locking elementhaving at that end adjoining the shank-receiving socket a generally flatlocking surface which in one position rests beside the shankreceivingsocket and out of the path of the shank and in another position abutsagainst the tapered surface of the shank and locks the shank against theremote wall of the shank-receiving socket and holds the base of theshank in rearward position, and screw means accessible at the front ofthe retainer, acting on the locking element for rocking the lockingelement around the pivot head of the saddle to bring the flat lockingsurface into and out of abutting engagement with the tapered surface ofthe shank.

2. A device of claim 1, 'in which the locking element has two opposedtapered surfaces-against which the screw 'means may react.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,783,541 Hogg et al. Dec. 2, 1930 1,783,654 Kelsey Dec. 2, 19301,806,694 Markson May 26, 1931 2,207,359 Shaw July 9, 1940 2,500,420Koning Mar. 14, 1950 2,713,386 Holtz July 19, 1955

